December 2008

Today we made our semi-annual pilgrimage to the Book Barn in Niantic, CT. It’s a fascinating place for book hounds and cat lovers. Books and cats everywhere scattered over an acre of houses, barns, sheds, tents, and hovels. Many of the books are quite recent releases, but there are also loads of very old books. The cats are all the mellowest critters you’ll find anywhere and the folks who run the place are friendly and helpful. We never miss a chance to stop here when we come back east.

Getting sick over the holidays – I spent Christmas Day and the next day in the cardiac unit at UCONN medical center. We were visiting Sarah’s parents for the holidays and I had been feeling quite ill for a few days. On Christmas Day it was bad enough for me to have Sarah’s father take me to the ER. They thought my symptoms could be indicative of a heart problem, so they insisted I stay overnight and they ran a bunch of tests. Turns out it isn’t my heart, but the problem is still not completely gone. I’ll follow up with my regular doctor later this week.

Great doctors – While I wasn’t happy about spending two days in the hospital, I was very glad to have the great docs at UCONN medical center working on me. They were very attentive and left no stone unturned in making sure I was not going to suffer a heart attack. Glad to know my heart is in such good shape. They could have given me a quick once-over and told me to take an antacid and sent me home, but they were very concerned and it showed. Much thanks to the doctors, nurses, and technicians at UCONN who gave up their Christmas to help folks like me.

Thanks also to Sarah’s parents, who were understanding and supportive throughout the ordeal. The fact that I dampened their Christmas doesn’t faze them in the least. They’re good people. No surprise considering how special their daughter is.

New England Patriots – Ok, so they’re out of the playoffs. They still played way above everyone’s expectations and only because of the division they’re in are they not playing into the post-season with an 11-5 record. Major kudos to Matt Cassel. He deserves a big, fat paycheck and a starting job next year.

Our lying governor – He really is a sociopath. How he can stand there in front of the whole country and deny doing anything wrong is beyond me.

Weather – It’s already been a crappy winter and it’s not even Christmas yet. We’re heading out to New England on Sunday or Monday *if* the weather permits. At least we’re driving, so no hanging out in airports for hours like last year.

Gas prices this week – Yesterday morning regular was $1.48. It had been going down, so I decided to wait to fill up on the way home. That afternoon, when I was just about out of gas, the price had jumped to $1.65, so it cost me $3.40 more to fill up than it would have that morning. Today it’s back down to $1.59, so I could have saved $1.20 if I had been able to wait. Now I know this is all bus fare as far as money goes, and I’m very glad I’m paying only $30 or so to fill up, but the constant up and down drives me nuts. It’s like they just decide that Thursday will be ripoff day and jack up the price for a day.

Our esteemed governor – He and his trash-mouth wife are a pair of self-serving, cold-hearted crooks. And he even has the gall to deny doing anything wrong despite tapes recording his despicable behavior. Unbelievable.

End of the semester – I need this break.

Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) vest – Thin, light, and very warm. Best buy I’ve made in a long time. Had to buy one for Sarah because she kept stealing mine.

Boston Celtics – 14 wins in a row. Incredible. This team could even surpass last year’s dominators.

Medical bugaboos – Dad is back in ICU. The poor guy can’t catch a break.

Critters – Storing up for winter.

Christkindlesmarkt – This place is great at Christmas. I used to love to wander around through the stalls while enjoying a bratwurst and some glühwein. In past years you could pan and zoom the camera, but now it’s a fixed webcam. Not as much fun to people-watch now.